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We have placed a special article in the town warrant, urging the pur- chase by the town of the Methodist church property on Redington street adjoining the Hadley school. This is an opportunity that we trust the town will not let go by. The acquirement of this property would give a natural outlet to a present fearfully overcrowded playroom space for the pupils of Hadley school, and the acquisition of the house in the rear of the church would enable us to expand the Domestic Arts department, now using one room in the basement of the school.
The superintendent mentions in his report the value of Community Service in the work of the schools, particularly the Junior High school and the higher grades of the elementary department, and to this section of his report we add our hearty amen. Community Service is developing recreational activity and physical welfare, and perhaps at this point it might be well to state the attitude and the feeling of the School Com- mittee with regard to the major sports of our High school. We have always maintained the ground and we still do, that in our High school studies must come first and athletics second.
88
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
The growing popularity of football is in danger of carrying some of us off our feet, and we are apt to lose in this popular excitement the due sense of the proportion of things. It is true that some towns larger than ours, and some towns smaller, feel justified in spending money for & professional coach, who will give his whole time to athletics. "Win your games and win them all the time," is their slogan. The conduct of some of these professional coaches on the field of action is often anything but a good example for the young men under their charge, and the salaries paid, when we compare them with the salaries given to teachers, principals and superintendents, is beyond all bounds of common sense and reason. This committee has not in the past and does not now so feel. We would be false to our trust, as we conceive of it, to justify the expenditure of the town's money for a professional coach on the ground that he would train baseball and football teams only. We have demanded therefore and shall continue the policy of requiring from the High school athletic coach class-room teaching of such efficiency as to merit the approval of superin- tendent, principal and committee.
We are not unaware that this position is today being assailed, but we still believe that this is the dignified position on which to take our stand, whether we win or lose one football game or all of them, and we beg to remind those who differ from us in this respect that there are universities and high schools in our land by the score, who do not change their coach every year because the team that they represent happens to lose one or more games.
There is another point in our system in which we feel that unjust and unnecessary criticism has been offered. The increasing number of dis- missals in all departments of the school system led the superintendent to make a recommendation that no pupils should be dismissed from a regular session of the school save in an emergency. The committee approved of this recommendation and so ordered it as a rule of the school system. The general effect of this ruling has unquestionably been the greatest good for the greatest number. When a parent makes a request that his child be excused that he may attend a movie performance, a dancing lesson, or a shopping trip, our contention is that the excuse does not justify the dismissal. We trust the fair judgment of the superintendent or principals to determine what constitutes an emergency.
We asserted at the beginning of this report that the schools were never in a better condition than they are today. Every boy and girl in the system of average ability, who will seize the educational opportunities that are offered, who will work and not shirk, who will give a due amount of time to the studies that are to be prepared at home, can, step from the senior class of the High school to any college in this land, for it is being done by boys and girls every year. It cannot be done by those who adorn street corners, or who frequent places of amusement when they should be studying, or by those who allow all the counter attractions of the day to push school work into a corner; and no fair-minded citizen who will think of it for a moment seriously would expect it of our or any other school system. We would record our appreciation of the work being done by the Parent-Teacher Association. They are keeping constantly
89
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1922]
before the minds of its members the great educational problems of the day, and are quietly building up an interest in the schools that is bound to be of increasing value.
In conclusion, we desire to express our appreciation to the superintendent, principals, teachers and all employees of the school department, for their work and co-operative interest, and to all the parents and friends of the schools for the aid that they have given to the committee during the past year and which we have every confidence they will continue to give in the efforts that we are making to hold the Swampscott school system to a high level of efficiency.
REV. EDWARD TILLOTSON, Chairman, MRS. MABEL A. HARDY, DR. JOHN VANNEVAR.
90
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
REPORT OF CLERK OF SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
To the Members of the School Committee:
. Following is a classified statement of the expenditures of the School Committee for the year ending December 31, 1922.
GENERAL EXPENSES
General
High
Elementary
School Committee
$ 829 27
Superintendent
5,807 78
EXPENSES OF INSTRUCTION
Supervisors
$10,175 00
Principals
$ 2,949 96
$ 7,483 28
Teachers
17,520 00
51,868 00
Textbooks
1,522 81
2,190 11
Supplies
1,822 07
3,015 87
EXPENSES OF OPERATION
Janitors
2,050 00
5,189 60
Fuel
510 50
3,376 56
Miscellaneous operating
925 15
1,974 83
EXPENSES OF MAINTENANCE
Repairs-etc.
613 01
2,808 54
AUXILIARY AGENCIES
Libraries
14 86
8 47
Health
50 00
200 00
Transportation
800 00
Tuition
60 00
372 36
Miscellaneous
298 19
484 23
EXPENSES OF OUTLAY
New grounds and bldgs.
420 00
New equipment
3,981 26
$21,213 31
$28,336 55
$79,771 85
Appropriation for year 1922
$130,000 00
Expended to Jan. 1, 1923
129,321 71
Balance on hand
$678 29
Very respectfully yours,
A. W. STUBBS, Clerk.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1922]
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
To the School Committee of the Town of Swampscott:
MRS. HARDY AND GENTLEMEN :- I submit herewith my third annual report as superintendent of the Swampscott public schools.
The principal purposes of a superintendent's annual report are to inform the public concerning the work of the schools, as well as to bring before them needs of the schools that their interest and support may be elicited. With these ends in view this report is divided into three parts; first, a brief statement as to some of the happenings in the schools; second, an outline of what seems to be the immediate needs of the department; and, third, such brief statistics as may be of interest to the citizens of Swampscott.
Changes in Teaching Staff.
During the year 1922 the following teachers resigned: from the High school, Stephen White, to teach in Boston; Roy H. Walch, to teach in Waterbury, Conn .; Miss Pauline Hoit, to teach in Brockton, and Miss Clara B. Hinckley. From the Junior High school, Miss Marjorie Seavey, to teach in Salem; Miss Helen Bisbee, to study. From the Machon school, Miss Grace Stevens was transferred to the Junior High school to take the place of Miss Bisbee. To fill the other vacancies the following teachers were elected; Clifford Crowther, Joseph Stanton, Roland Peacock; Miss Anna A. Remmert; Miss Marion Burlingame and Miss Marion Fogg. One additional teacher, Miss Lucile Burleigh, has been added to the High school faculty because of increased enrollment there, and Miss Ida Bradford was ap- pointed assistant teacher at the Palmer school. It is gratifying to note that the general efficiency of the schools has not been impaired by the above changes, but at the same time we should aim to reduce changes in our staff to the smallest possible amount, for as has been pointed out before, nothing is more injurious to a school system than a succession of changes in the personnel of the teachers, principals and supervisors.
Palmer School.
The request of the school committee for an appropriation to add two rooms to the Palmer school received the approval of the voters of the town, and the addition was made during the summer vacation. As a result of this, we have been enabled to close the portable building there, and to retain the 6th grade children of this district in the Palmer building with a corresponding relief in the 6th grades at the Hadley and Clarke schools.
Private Schools.
An event of importance to the educational interests of Swampscott was the opening in September of two private schools in the town, the St. John's
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
Parochial and the North Shore Country Day. While there may be regret on the part of some at a division of educational interest in so small a town as Swampscott, yet we must realize the absolute right of parents to give their children that type of education which, within the limits of the law, appeals to them.
The figures below show the effect that the opening of these schools has had on the enrollment of the public schools.
Enrollment-December.
Hadley 1921-22
Clarke 1921-22
Machon 1921-22
Palmer 1921-22
Total 1921-22
Grade I
34
34
32
34
38
42
26
28
172
173
Grade II
38
28
40
34
37
40
21
26
136
128
Grade III
37
32
41
40
30
45
30
15
171
132
Grade IV
39
38
44
44
42
40
21
21
146
143
Grade
V
45
41
42
39
45
42
17
18
149
140
Grade VI
51
43
46
42
19
145
146
Total
244 216
335 310
225 209
115 127
919
862
J. H. S.
·
.
361
389
H. S.
250
273
Total enrollment
1530 1524
Summarized, this shows that the elementary grades of the public schools have 57 fewer pupils enrolled this year than a year ago, or an average of 2 less to a room. The increase in the upper grades, however, offsets this, so that our total enrollment for December, 1922, is but 6 less than the enroll- ment for the corresponding month of 1921.
Observance of National Education Week.
There has been a slight but perceptible and gratifying growth of interest in our public schools as shown by parental visits during the past year. This was clearly demonstrated by the attendance at the "Open House and School Exhibit" held in all of the buildings on December 5th. This affair was Swampscott's contribution to the observance of National Education Week, which, as its name indicates, was a week designated by the federal department of education and the American Legion for the dissemination throughout the entire country of publicity in the interest of the public schools. On that evening about 600 parents and friends of the Swampscott School children visited our buildings, where opportunity was given to meet teachers and see examples of the work done by pupils, both as individuals and collectively. The results of the "Open House" were gratifying to the school people; it is hoped that the visitors found it worth while.
Parent-Teacher Association.
The Swampscott Parent-Teacher Association in its first year has fully justified the hopes of its founders. Monthly meetings have been held except through the summer months, with varied programs of an educational nature. It is, unfortunately, impossible to measure accurately the results of such a movement, they are intangible though real; but the cause of education has been greatly helped by this local unit of a nation-wide organization and the school department is glad to acknowledge its help- fulness and support.
42
35
33
48
42
93
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1922]
School Banking.
After an absence of two years School Savings has been re-introduced into our schools by vote of the committee. Its abolishment two years ago was due not to a lack of belief in the value of school banking but because the system in vogue at that time did not seem productive of results that compensated for the amount of work involved. The system now adopted employs automatic stamp tellers, and was chosen after investigations in other communities where it is employed seemed to indicate that it is simple, safe and practical. It is hoped that our pupils will avail themselves freely of the opportunity thus offered to practice saving and thrift.
Miscellaneous School Activities.
Modern education includes, quite fortunately, many activities outside the daily recitation and lecture rooms. Swampscott, while not an extremist in this direction, has recognized the advantages of many of these and encourages them where it is believed they will not interfere with necessary scholastic progress.
The achievements the past year of the dramatic clubs of both the Junior and Senior High schools merit attention at this time. The value of dramatic work to young people is unquestioned; it aids them in their work in English, develops poise and confidence, and encourages proper enunciation.
Another branch of our work which has made splendid progress has been that of our music department. Miss Nazarian developed during the past year orchestras in the Junior and Senior High schools, and in the Senior High school a boys' glee club, a girls' glee club and a double male quartette. The concert given by these combined organizations was one of the features of the school year.
The work in physical training in our schools has reached a point where results are being shown. The work of the year culminated for the elemen- tary schools in an out-door exhibition for all of the grades on the grounds adjacent to the schools. In the Senior High school a new sport for girls, field hockey, was introduced this fall with marked success.
The Junior High school, in addition to its usual physical training, organ- ized base-ball and football teams that were vital factors in the development of school spirit as well as of the physical condition of the boys on the teams.
In this connection it is a pleasure to acknowledge the indebtedness of the school department to Mr. Walter L. Quinlan, director of Swampscott Com- munity Service. Mr. Quinlan not only coached the Junior High school teams to their high efficiency, but also organized and directed baseball and football leagues for the smaller boys of the elementary grades, thus supplementing the work of our physical training department in a most gratifying manner.
Americanization.
For a number of years the school department has desired to make a beginning in adult education, especially along the lines of citizenship training for our foreign born residents. In October a start was made by .
94
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
opening at the Machon school an evening class in Americanization. Attend- ance here soon warranted the division of the group into a beginners' and an advanced class. The committee has also voted to establish such classes at the other end of the town when the Palmer portable shall have been moved to its new location on Phillips Park. In addition, we plan to take over the "Mothers' Class" organized a year ago by the Swampscott Woman's Club. This class is composed of Italian women, who have met two afternoons a week with an instructor. It is believed that these additions to our educa- tional offering will result in better citizenship among the foreign born residents of Swampscott.
Recommendations for the Future. SCHOOL BUILDINGS:
One of the greatest problems of the American schools today is that dealing with the housing of pupils. Swampscott has not fallen behind in its building program as have so many other cities and towns. The erection of the Machon school, the addition to the Palmer school, and the opening of the two local private schools have all contributed to the favorable con- dition of our elementary grades. In our Junior and Senior High schools, however, we are confronted with problems that need prompt attention.
ENROLLMENT:
Sept.
J. H. S.
S. H. S.
1919
350
211
1921
359
249
1922
395
276
1923
Estimated. 415 320
The above table shows what the problem is. We are having a large annual increase in our Junior and Senior High enrollments; both buildings are now filled to capacity; the immediate future will find distinctly crowded conditions. To relieve these conditions we should (1) erect a new elementary school for the children of the Hadley district, thus leaving this building for the sole use of the Junior High school, and (2) erect an addition to the Senior High school of at least four rooms and so planned as to admit of additional increase in years to come.
In order to foster and encourage athletics in the Junior High school, as well as to provide the Hadley school with more adequate grounds, it seems desirable at this time to recommend the acquisition of the so called Methodist church property, adjacent to the Hadley school, together with the cottage in the rear of the church. The former property is for sale as the trustees of the church have made plans for the congregation to meet else- where, and at a slight additional expense the cottage can also be ob- tained. If this is not done the Hadley school property must in all prob- ability be restricted to its present size, as there would seem to be no possi- bility of an extension in any other direction. The following table shows the size of each of the present school lots, and clearly indicates that the Hadley school has not sufficient space for its large enrollment.
95
SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1922]
School
Year built
Class- rooms
Dimensions
Area of lot
High School
1894
14
33' x28'x12'
96,810 sq. ft.
Hadley School
·
·
.
1912
16
32' x23'x121/2'
27,233 sq. ft.
Clarke School
.
1906
8
33' x27'x16'
22,227 sq. ft.
Machon School
1920
9
29' x23'x12"/
44,840 sq. ft.
Palmer School
1908
2
291/2'x24'x12'
13,293 sq. ft.
ADDITIONS TO FACULTY :
Owing to the increased enrollment in the Senior and Junior High schools, it will be necessary to add to our teaching force three new teachers for the opening of school in September, two for the Senior High and one for the Junior High. It would be desirable if we could secure a man teacher for the Junior High school position. It is considered of value to have boys and girls of this age come in contact with a masculine mind in the class room; and aside from this there are other activities in the shape of addi- tional physical training work in which he could assist.
CURRICULUM :
We have not taught German in our schools since the feeling engendered by the recent war caused it to be dropped from the curriculum. Without reviewing the circumstances attendant on this act it seems desirable for many reasons to re-introduce this subject for those pupils who wish to offer it as an elective for college entrance purposes, or for preparation for their later studies in colleges or scientific schools.
Our industrial arts courses are entirely inadequate. We have at present one manual training shop with an instructor, and one room for domestic science and art, both in the basement of the Hadley school. In these two rooms we are providing slight instruction to pupils of the 6th grades and Junior High school and in the case of the boys, of the Senior High school. Attention is called to the recommendation of the high school principal in this connection, to which we heartily agree, and in the near future plans should be made for the strengthening of this department in order that more pupils of all our schools may share in the benefits to be derived in this branch of training.
IMPROVEMENT OF GROUNDS : .
In developing the schools of Swampscott practically no attention has been paid in the past to the grounds about the buildings. With the exception of the Hadley school, no building has any shrubbery and in the case of several of the schools the grounds are not even graded. There would seem to be here a proper use for a small appropriation each year to bring about gradually an adornment of the school property that would be of both practical and aesthetic value. In the case of the Machon school property there still remains an actual danger to the pupils who attend that school. and the first steps in this direction should be taken at this building.
VISUAL EDUCATION :
It is with some trepidation that the subject of visual education is broached anywhere in New England, but experience in other sections of the country have proved that there is an immense field open here, and that in the future the value of the right kind of motion pictures for educational purposes will be almost universally acknowledged. It is my hope that we
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TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
may make a modest beginning with visual education in the near future, say in the Hadley school, where the auditorium would seem to lend itself most readily for the introduction of the necessary equipment.
APPENDIX A
Census Statistics. SCHOOL YEAR, SEPTEMBER, 1921, TO JUNE, 1922.
Number of boys 5 years of age or over and under 16 764
Number of girls 5 years of age or over and under 16 733
Total
1,497
Number of boys 5 years of age or over and under 7
96
Number of girls 5 years of age or over and under 7 104
Total
200
Number of boys 7 years of age or over and under 14
528
Number of girls 7 years of age or over and under 14
496
Total
. 1,024
Number of boys 14 years of age or over and under 16
140
Number of girls 14 years of age or over and under 16 133
Total
273
APPENDIX B.
Table of Enrollment and Attendance. SEPTEMBER 1921-JUNE 1922.
School
Grade
Whole Number Enrolled
Average Member- ship
Average Attend- ance
% of Att.
No. Tardy
No. Dis- missed
High
10-12
256
245.7
232.9
95
300
174
Junior high
7-9
369
354.5
337.5
95
66
129
Hadley
1-6
263
231.3
214.9
93
171
95
Clarke
1-6
338
329.4
306.8
93
220
112
Machon
1-5
257
230.4
215.2
92
297
165
Palmer
1-5
119
112.4
104.7
93
100
74
Total
1602
1,503.7
1,412.0
94
1,154
749
The figures above are largely self explanatory. Attention is called, however, to the number of cases of tardiness and dismissals; both of these are matters which receive constant attention from the school authorities, and the committee have even legislated concerning dismissals. In order to reduce these numbers, however, it will be necessary for the homes to co-operate more strongly than they have in the past, insisting that children leave home promptly in the morning and not asking for dismissals except in actual emergencies.
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REPORT
1922]
APPENDIX C. Age-Grade Table: 1921-22 Enrollment.
Ages in years and months
H
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
P. G.
Total
Under 5
5.0- 5.11
1
1
6.0- 6.11 .
103| 10|
113
7.0- 7.11
53| 86|
18|
4
161
8.0- 8.11
19| 42| 91| 16
168
9.0- 9.11
4| 18| 44|
74| 26|
1|
167
10.0-10.11
2|
2| 16| 41| 67| 24|
155
11.0-11.11
1|
4|
5| 25| 32| 57| 25|
152
13.0-13.11
7| 22| 28| 45| 24| 14|
1|
141
14.0-14.11
2| 11| 15| 32| 43| 25|
4|
6
131
16.0-16.11
1
5
4|
8| 26| 24| 17|
3
88
17.0-17.11
1 2|
1
7| 15| 18|
3|
45
18.0-18.11
1|
1
1|
1|
4
6|
13
19.0-19.11
1|
3|
2
1|
7
(183|158|183|160|165|153|142|125|106|124| 74| 49|
7|1,622
APPENDIX D. Tabulation of Accelerated and Retarded Pupils by Grades.
Grade
Accelerated No. %
Normal No.
%
Retarded No.
%
I
1
.5
156
85
26
14
183
II
10
6
128
81
20
13
158
III
18
10
135
73
30
16
183
IV
20
12
115
72
25
15
160
V
26
15
102
62
37
22
165
VI
25
16
92
60
36
23
153
VII
29
20
85
60
28
20
142
VIII
29
23
77
61
19
15
125
IX
28
26
69
65
9
8
106
X
39
31
76
61
9
7
124
XI
28
38
39
52
7
9
74
XII
23
47
24
50
2
4
49
| 276
17
| 1,098
68
248
15
1,622
No. Acc. one year
235
No. Acc. two years
40
No. Acc. three years
1
276
No. Retarded one year
168
No. Retarded two years
54
No. Retarded three years
19
No. Retarded four years
7
-
3|
4|
155
12.0-12.11
4
-
1| 3|
2|
7| 13| 26| 50| 23|
132
15.0-15.11
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
IX
X
XI
XII
10| 19| 35| 60| 26|
248
98
TOWN DOCUMENTS
[Dec. 31
The two tables above, "C" and "D", show the distribution of pupils by ages and grades the last school year, and a statement as to the per cent. of acceleration and retardation in each of our grades. Attention is called to the per cent. of accelerated pupils in the upper grades of our system. These figures are high and bear out the contention that has been made from time to time, that many of the Swampscott youth are getting through high school at too early an age. We believe that the change in the entrance age which was made a year ago, with less frequent double promotions will bring these figures nearly to a normal level.
APPENDIX E.
Comparative Cost of Swampscott Schools. (FROM REPORT OF MASS. DEPT. OF EDUCATION)
Population Census of
1920
Valuation April
1920
Expended for support
of schools year ending
Amount expended per $1,000 valuation
Belmont
10,749
$15,764,431
$152,426 34
$ 9 66
Winchester
10,485
22,384,850
161,246 23
7 20
Milton
9,382
21,320,525
164,466 38
71
Swampscott
8,101
15,338,554
105,212 71
6 86
Reading
7,439
9,215,295
113,230 11
12 28
Concord
6,461
7,340,123
127,225 00
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